The sacred scarab of the Egyptians was termed by Linnæus, the _Scarabæus sacer_, but later writers have named it, _Ateuchus sacer_. This insect is found throughout Egypt, the southern part of Europe, in China, the East Indies, in Barbary and at the Cape of Good Hope, Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is black and about one inch in length. There was also another species of the scarabæus valued by the Ancient Egyptians, that termed by Cuvier, the _Ateuchus sacer Ægyptiorum_, which is larger and wider than the others of its family; it is of green golden tints, and is now found principally in Egypt and Nubia. Pliny, in his Natural History says: "The green scarabæus has the property of rendering the sight more piercing, (i.e., curing fatigue of the eye from its green color,) of those who gaze upon it; hence it is, that the engravers of precious stones use these insects to steady their sight."[7] M. Latreille thinks; the species he named _Ateuchus Ægyptiorum_, or ήλιοχχνθαρος, and which is of a green color, was that which especially engaged the attention of the Ancient Egyptians. The Egyptian also held in estimation, the species _Buprestis_ and the _Cantharis_ and _Copris_, and used them as he did the members of the true family of the scarabæidæ, and S. Passalacqua found a species of _Buprestis_, embalmed in a tomb at Thebes. At least four species of beetles appear to have been held in veneration and were distinguished, by the absence or presence, of striated elytra. The _Ateuchus sacer_ is the one commonly represented on the monuments. The number of the toes, thirty, symbolized the days of the month, and the movement of the ball, which it manufactured and in which was deposited its egg, symbolized among other things, the action of Ra, the Egyptian sun-deity, at midday. The Egyptian soldier wore the scarab as a charm or amulet, to increase bravery;[8] the women, to increase fertility. The Greeks called it, Helio-cantharus, and, not understanding its significance, were disposed to ridicule it, as is apparent from the travesty upon it by Aristophanes in his comedy of Peace. Pliny also again speaks of it in his Natural History, saying: "The scarabæus also, that forms pellets and rolls them along. It is on account of this kind of scarabæus that the people of a great part of Egypt worship those insects as divinities, an usage for which Apion gives a curious reason, asserting, as he does, by way of justifying the rites of his nation, that the insect in its operations portrays the revolution of the sun. There is also another kind of scarabæus, which the magicians recommend to be worn as an amulet--the one that has small horns[9] thrown backwards--it must be taken up, when used for this purpose, with the left hand. A third kind also, known by the name of '_fullo_' and covered with white spots, they recommend to be cut asunder and attached to either arm, the other kinds being worn upon the left arm."[10]